So Disappointed............

Your hydrangeas and alliums are lovely !
But I understand your disappointment with the mail orders when they don't live up to expectation.

Thats a real shame, I have had some lovely plants from crocus in the past, like you said it may be better next year once the plants have had a chance to settle in ect. I know I bought some sangisorbia last year that really disappointed but now they are georgeous..x fingers for you and do post pictures of the border next year..
Your hydrangeas and the clematis are lovely...

Sorry to read about your mail order plants not being what you expected, I would be spitting feathers! Get in touch and see what they say, even if it's a partial refund? X the allium look fab, really want some of them, such a statement plant! X

That must be very disappointing after spending so much on them. Like Madabout said, it could take a yr. or so for them to settle in. However, a question or 2, did you amend your soil before planting with a good manure mix? If not you might try adding in some around the plant. Any amend of any kind but it would be good to add a bit of manure to it too, just mixed in with it then scrape away some of the old and place the new around it.

Many people underestimate the amending of soil, either add amend every spring, or every time you plant a new plant, or just adding some to the top of bed in the autumn. Over winter the nutrients seep down and nourish the plants for spring growth. Adding bark to keep moister and nutrients in is very good too.

To add your own organic amend what you can do is when you have green scraps from the kitchen say you've cleaned some veg. or someting, some coffe grounds, tea bags or egg shells, save the scraps and go out and with a little trowel make a little hole and burry the scraps in between the plants and veg. after about 2 weeks they should have turned into compost. That way you will always be adding nutrients to your soil. Just make little holes and add small amounts. Those big bins of stuff take too long to break down.

Also are they planted where they get the right amount of sun? That has a lot to do with a plants performance. Although sun in that neck of the woods is a rare thing these days. I came back from Ireland 9 days ago and I saw very little sun and the gardens were way behind.

Now that you have those plants you can always start cuttings and divisions from them. Or gather seeds to start next yr.

Anyway let me know if that is of help. Best of luck.

Really feel for you. We invest so much hope in our plants, don't we? I've never bought plants by mail-order myself, so can't comment in that respect. Sounds like brilliant advice from Angie tho'. Will try that myself, as I compost like some kind of maniac but didn't realise I could pop small amounts in'raw', as it were, tho' I read somewhere that you could do that with banana skins for roses and have been doing so ever since. My roses are doing well.
Agree about your alliums - fabulous. I love them and mine were blind this year for no apparent reason.

What a shame about the plants in your border. It was a lot of money, and you should have had better than that. I'm glad you complained about it. I hope they took note of what you said.
Your hydrangea and alliums look great, and the clematis also.

Can I start of by saying that your Clematis, Hydrangea and Allium are gorgeous :)
I planted Helenium Morehiem Beauty for the first time last year and remember being pretty disappointed at first as my plants looked like yours. However as the summer went on, I kept removing the yukky looking flowers and by the time August came - they were as I had expected them to look.
Slugs and snails love these plants too. So it could be that they have all had a wee nibble when the buds were forming.
I would love to show you a picture of mine - to compare - but they don't even have flower buds yet :(

Such a shame, but it is early days yet, give them a chance, very young plants, and Crocus are usually very reliable, this time next year prepare to be amazed!!

Thanks for listening to me everyone and for all of the good advice and support I really appreciate it. I think I am being too impatient........... Scottish I would love to see a photo when yours flower and Angie, fantastic advice which I will definitely try.

Here is a picture taken last Augus Marion....

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/220424-helenium-moerheim-beauty-and-rosa-warm-welcome/member/scottish

If the link doesn't work - the pictures are on page 2 of my garden page.

Yes, I was surprised when I saw the photos because they look good strong and healthy to me, for new plants. I always find it takes a good year for perennials to get going..which is really frustrating isn't it! I have ordered from Crocus tens of times Marion and never had a problem so I would be surprised and very disappointed if their plants were not up to scratch...I might be wrong Marion...I often am...but I think those Heleniums are going to be fab in a few weeks, so don't despair! :D